Mine Explosion, Shelling Reported in South Ossetia

Local resident Mate Kobaladze, who lives in the village of Eredvi in the South Ossetian conflict zone, was badly injured after a land mine went off on the by-pass road linking the Georgian-controlled territories of Didi and Patara Liakhvi gorges early on November 9, Georgian media reported.

According to the Georgian media reports, the Georgian village of Tamarasheni came under sporadic fire overnight on November 9, causing no casualties. The South Ossetian side has made no comment regarding these reports so far.

In other developments in the conflict zone, reports say that joint law enforcement groups of the Georgian and South Ossetian sides will continue search operations for Eldar Kakhniashvili, who went missing on November 3.

Joint groups, which included the participation of Russian peacekeeping troops, searched areas in the conflict zone which are under the Georgian side?s control on November 8. Search operations will continue in the Ossetian-controlled territories on November 9.